Improvement in steam fire-engines



W. KNAU ST.

Stgam Fi e-Engine. No.l64,843 I Patentedlune22 l 875w :um uunmmn 2%" mum ""l IllllllllllllllHH k l l I I WiTNESSESZ v, Ill! THE GRAPHIC G0.PHOT0-UTH.39&41 PARK PLACEJLY,

UNITED STATES PATENT, carton WILLIAM KNAUST, or VIENNA, AUSTRIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM FIRE-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 64,843, dated June 22, 1875; application filed June 9,1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM KNAUST, of Vienna, Austria, have invented a new and Improved Steam Fire-Engine, of which the following is a specification Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved steam fire-engine. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The principal object of this invention is to so apply the operating-shaft of a steam fireengine that it may be conveniently lubricated from oneside of the engine.

The invention has reference to that class of fire-engines which have fly-wheels on their crank-shafts.

As heretofore arranged, the vertical flywheel on the horizontal crank-shaft constituted a barrier between the opposite sides of the engine, and the engineer was obliged to run from one side of the engine to the other whenever he wanted to lubricate said crankshaft.

My invention consists in the combination of a vertical crank-shaft, carrying a horizontal fly-wheel, with the piston-rods of the steam and pump cylinders, as hereinafter more fully described.

The letter A represents the frame of my improved steam fire-engine. The same is mounted on wheels, as shown. B is the boiler, supported in one end of the frame A, and provided with the feedpipe a, and with the steam-pipe a, leading to the steam-cylinders O and C. These horizontal cylinders are arranged vertically, one above the other. 7) and b are the steam-chests'of the cylinders O and C, respectively, the chest b being situated on top of the cylinder 0, and the chest 1) below the cylinder 0. D and D are the horizontal piston-rods of the cylinders (J and G, respectively. E is the feed-pump, placed preferably between the cylinders O and O, to feed 'water through the pipe a into the boiler B. The piston-rods D l) are respectively connected to slotted cross-heads F F, which run in parallel guides at d, that are secured to both sides of'the engine-frame, as shown. G G are the two pumpcylinders, which are arranged in line with the steam-cylinders U 0, so that their piston-rods c and e connect with the opposite sides of the cross-heads F F, respectively, as shown. H is the air-chamber, l the water-supply pipe, and J the waterdischarge, of the pump mechanism. L is the crank-shaft, carrying the fly-wheel M, and arranged with its cranks in the slots of the cross-heads F F, for equalizing the motion of the pistons, overcoming the dead-centers, and imparting motion to the valve mechanism and to the feed-pump.

This crank-shaft, which has heretofore been horizontally arranged between cylinders that are on the same horizontal plane, is by me' placed vertically, as clearly shown in the drawing, thereby rendering the fly-wheel M horizontal.

The shaft L is supported in suitable part of the frame A; its cranks f f enter the slots of the cross-heads F and F, respectively; its terminal cranks g and g serve, respectively, to move the slidevalves of the steamchests b and b, and its crank h imparts motion to the plunger of the feed-pump E.

As already stated, the main advantage of.

having a vertical crank-shaft and a horizon tal fly-wheel in engines of this class is, that all the bearings and parts of said shaft to be lubricated can be reached from one side of the engine, thus saving to the engineer the labor of running from one side to the other-a matter of great inconvenience, especially under the excitement of a conflagration.

Another advantage of m y arrangement is thatthe crossheads F F can be placed horizontally, and well balanced, thus relieving the stufling-boxes of the strain usually exerted by vertical cross-heads.

By arranging the feed-pump E between the steam-cylinders O O, I equalize, as nearly as possible, the strain and labor at opposite ends of the engine, as otherwise the strain is greater on the side of the pump-cylinders G G. I also avoid the consequent oscillations.

'j '1 claim as my invention-- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I Incombination with the steam-cylinders C have'hereunto set my hand this 22d day of C, and with the pump-cylinders G G, which April, 1875. are placed. in a vertical plane, and with the feed-pump E placed between the steam-cylin- WM. KNAUST. ders, the vertical crank-shaft L, carrying the 4 horizontal fly-wheel M, substantially as here- Witnesses: in shown and described, and for the purpose JosEF BODE, specified. 0. EACH. 

